


Bend The Rules (a post-tlj Reylo fic)

by tgffvt



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy, The Last Jedi
Genre: Angst, Armitage Hux Has Issues, Ben Solo Needs A Hug, Cockblock C-3PO (Star Wars), F/M, I Don't Even Know, Kylo Ren Redemption, Leia is basically a matchmaker, Minor Armitage Hux/Rose Tico, Minor Poe Dameron/Finn, Post-Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Rey (Star Wars) is Nobody, Rey is in denial, Tags May Change
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-02
Updated: 2020-07-30
Packaged: 2021-02-28 23:14:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,642
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23445328
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tgffvt/pseuds/tgffvt
Summary: “Leia, Kylo Ren is stronger than ever,” She said. “And without Luke, I now have no idea how to stop him and the First Order. If we didn’t know about their biggest ship, what else is out there waiting for us?” Leia took her hands and caressed them for reassurance.“Trust me. We have everything we need. People will come and help us fight, of that I’m sure. And you, Rey. You are our strongest fighter. You’ll know what to do with Kylo. You’ll bring him home and we’ll end this war. For good.”-Set straight after the death of former Supreme leader Snoke, this fic explores an alternative ending of The Last Jedi and acts as a big 'Fuck you!' to The Rise Of Skywalker.
Relationships: Rey & Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 15
Kudos: 19





	1. The Throne Room

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! I want everything in this fanfiction to make absolute sense so I have to point this out. 
> 
> In The Last Jedi, Rey grabs and uses Luke's saber during the fight scene but I just wanted to change it for reasons yet to come in this fic (intriguing, eh?). In my version she never got hold of it. Instead, both Rey and Kylo swap between using his saber and using the Praetorian guards' weapons as well as the force. For me, Rey using Kylo's 'dark side' saber really just represents a form of balance and I will dive into that within the actual fic in chapters to come. Just note that usually in this universe it's so called strange for a light side user of the force to use a weapon typically associated with the dark side as comfortably as Rey is (at the moment I'm not planning to make this a dark!Rey fic, I have something else in mind).
> 
> That's all for now, enjoy the first chapter!

Snoke is dead. The supreme leader - is dead. And his apprentice did it.

It was an act of protection; if he had done nothing he would have had to watch Snoke torture the only person that has cared about him in years, and all the same the only person he had truly cared about in years. Rey makes Kylo feel wanted. Loved, even. But he doubts that’s how she feels. Maybe this was all a trick to make him stand once again with the resistance, thus ending this war.

His mind swirling with thoughts and emotions, Kylo stepped carefully forward to the corpse of his former Master and abuser. Abuser…yes. He doesn't regret his actions. From now on he was free.

Kylo tried not to look at Snoke’s face. After all, no matter what anyone says, he doesn’t enjoy killing. Never has, never will. Perhaps that’s his family’s fault. _Ben Solo is weak, and needs to be destroyed, _is what he reminds himself in times of ‘weakness’.__

The Legacy saber lay deactivated close to Snoke’s body. One half of him, anyway. Kylo picked it up and admired it, then focused back on Snoke. Had he made the right choice at the right time?

“Ben! The fleet! There’s still time to save the fleet!” Rey cried from across the throne room, pointing out of the large view ports. Outside, the resistance was running on its last legs; they had only four ships left, and under General Hux’s commands The First Order was firing at them endlessly. Explosions of green and red added colour to the black of space.

Rey had noticed that Kylo hadn’t moved- he was still standing over Snoke's body, holding Rey’s saber in his left hand. His face was expressionless.

“Ben?” Rey began to walk over to him. She carefully stepped over shards of glass, rubble, weapons belonging to the now late guards, red smashed armor, and the Praetorian guards themselves. When she reached him, she tilted her head up to face his eyes. This moment was like the lift only half an hour before. But this time Kylo was avoiding her eyes.

“Are you going to stay with me? Rule with me?” Kylo’s voice was so weak his words were almost a whisper. Right then he wasn’t the cocky man eager for power that she knew. (If you had asked Rey at that moment to describe him, she wouldn’t know exactly what words to use- but monster was not one of them. Not anymore, not after what they just did together). His words confused her nevertheless. _Rule _with him? Turn to the _Darkside _? She could never. Rey thought that by killing Snoke, Kylo was proving that he could be Ben. He saved her life. Rey had thought that he cared… that maybe he wanted to help her as well as her friends.____

"What?! Ben, you know that that can’t happen. I will not go that way.” At that moment, Kylo turned to her in one swift movement. Her answer frustrated him immensely.

“I saw it. When we touched hands. I saw you sitting beside me on the throne. Isn’t that what you want? I can sense your desire, Rey. I sense the darkness. You will turn, and you will be mine.” He wore a mask of confidence, but inside he was breaking; desperate for her to be with him and never leave his side.

He was right. She did desire him. More than anything else in the galaxy. Other than her family, of course. But perhaps if he made the right moves Ben could become her new family...

Rey had left her defenses down, and as a result, she had Kylo know what she was thinking.

“Rey, why do you still hold on to them? Don’t you know they aren’t coming back for you? Your parents left you for a reason. They don’t want you! They were filthy junk traders who threw you away for drinking money.”

“You’re lying. You don’t know anything about my family.” Rey choked on her words, and tears slowly began to stream down her face.

“Yes, I do. They were nobodies. You came from nothing. You are nothing." Kylo paused for a brief moment, knowing that what he was saying isn't going the way he wants. He's trying to let her know that he cares, that he needs her by his side, not make her leave thinking he's a dick who tricked her into helping him kill his master so that he could obtain ultimate power and control the galaxy, and therefore just her enemy.

He takes a short but deep breath and tries again.

"But not to me.” There was the real meaning behind his words; she was his everything. He’s just terrible at conveying how he feels- so this is the only way he could do it. Keeping up the persona of Kylo, but attempting to be some sort of sweet at the same time.

“Take my hand. Please. There is no other way. Together, we can rule the galaxy; just you and me.” Kylo worked to take off the glove of his right hand. He extended his arm to brush his hand against hers, but she pushed it violently, evidently using the force to aid her actions. They both stumbled slightly backward.

Anger rumbled up inside him and rose into his voice causing a growl to escape his lips and his teeth to be bared. How _dare _she refuse him, and in that manner!__

"No, Rey, you’re still...you’re still holding on!” His voice erupted in the room, a roar of pure fury.

“Let go!” Kylo pushed his hand out to her yet again, more forceful this time. His ‘please’ was becoming more of a demand. He can’t afford to lose something so precious to him- and he’ll do what it takes to keep her. Now that Snoke was out of the way he was free to do as he pleases. Making her his empress was the first thing on his list of things to conquer.

Rey shook her head lightly as her tears became more like sobs. This was not the way things were meant to go. She had to leave, had to go and save the resistance. She was wasting vital time.

But he had her saber. Rey couldn’t leave without it. Yes, she could handle herself but this weapon was important. A legacy she had to protect. Plus, it’s the only thing right then that could protect her in a place like this. That and the force, of course. As it has always been on her side- even on Jakku when she still thought this whole ordeal was a myth.

“Give me the saber.” She said sternly. Kylo once more retracted his hand and held the saber with both hands. If he let Rey have it… she would leave. Wouldn’t even think twice about leaving him in darkness once again. Rey would possibly even attack him at the first chance she got.

So, he made the quick decision to destroy it.


	2. The betrayal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The explosion of the weapon sent a surprising amount of force energy that expanded into the whole entire room, causing Rey to be forced further into Kylo’s chest. Her head was nestled in his neck, and she tried to ignore how comforting being this close to him was. _He’s your enemy, Rey. Don't get too close. ___

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to thank everyone who's given me support so far. I'm honestly shocked and so happy that you guys are enjoying it!
> 
> It's been a while since I last updated, I know. Quarantine has been a hard time for us all, and I've completely lost all motivation to do anything. That's why this took so long.
> 
> Anyways, enjoy this chapter! More to come soon (if i don't have a complete meltdown ahaha. I'm joking).
> 
> Also follow my Twitter for updates! @tgffvt

Ren believed that if he did this, it would prove to Rey the lengths he would go to if it meant that she would join him in bringing a new order to the galaxy. After, she would surely have no choice but to surrender him. 

Kylo used the force to crush it with his mind, and his strongest hand to shatter it. The saber began to crack as he could slowly feel the force essence from the saber leaking out. Ren huffed and puffed with effort, and the saber began to shake and vibrate violently in his hand. His plan was working.

“No!” Rey screamed at the top of her lungs. 

Before he even got the chance to look up, Rey had launched herself onto him like an Anoatian pit beast pouncing on its prey. 

Rey fiercely tackled him to the ground. She used the force with all her might to keep him frozen in place while keeping one knee on his stomach and the other on the ground beside him. Doing this knocked the saber out of his hand. They both watched as it slid across the floor. It slowly spun to a stop.

Kylo squirmed, desperately trying to push her off of him- but it was no use. Rey was undoubtedly stronger than he could ever be. 

He looked at the weapon again and noticed that it was still vibrating. The parts seemed out of balance, and the housing of the kyber was seeking harmony. But as it did that, the parts cracked even more. The pair watched as the saber sheared in half due to structural strain, causing bright, brilliant white light to join fire in illuminating the dark throne room.

The explosion of the weapon sent a surprising amount of force energy that expanded into the whole entire room, causing Rey to be forced further into Kylo’s chest.The force also pushed their entangled bodies briskly sliding across the floor. They stopped close to Snoke’s corpse. Her head was nestled in his neck, and she tried to ignore how comforting being this close to him was. _He’s your enemy, Rey. Don’t get too close._

She pushed herself back up on top of him, and dared to look at what he’s done. The full crystal and body of the weapon was in pieces. Just like her heart, shattered. The legacy was destroyed. Rey looked back down at Ren, and what she felt was pure anger. Her plan had failed, and she hates to say it, but Luke was right. This definitely didn’t go the way she thought it would. 

As much as she fought to keep her emotions at bay, they still threatened to overwhelm her. She feared that if she let them show, even for a moment, they would sweep her away to a dark place. Even so, tears filled Rey’s eyes.

A few of them dripped down onto his face, so he snapped his attention back on her face. A real mistake. What he saw was the ultimate mixture between anger and hurt, but mainly disappointment. Rey had hope. But she was wrong. He was indeed a monster.

Her teeth were bared and her eyebrows furrowed. 

“I hate you!” She spat. Pure venom was within her words.

Rey had no weapon, and the perfect chance to strike down her enemy was now. 

But at the corner or her eye, she caught a glimpse of Kylo’s self made lightsaber. It layed there unharmed amongst the fire. It was her only choice. 

Rey used her free hand to call it to her, and as soon as it landed in her hand she ignited it. She jumped up and pushed it towards Kylo’s neck. He pushed his body backwards, but she only moved closer. Kylo’s eyes showed slight fear, and for a moment he was Ben. _Is this how it felt when Luke had tried to murder him?_

That realisation shook her back to reality. Ben was still in there. She wasn’t sure how to get him out, but he was there. 

Rey deactivated the saber and attached it to her side. Payback, just until she could get her own. 

“I will not join you, not like this. I just can’t.”

Kylo looked up at her, silent except from his heavy breathing. They stayed like that for a few moments, still, staring into one another’s soul. Rey waits for him to speak; an apology, a ‘Kriff off!’, a ‘give me back my saber’, an ‘I’ll help you’... _just something._ She waits, but he says nothing. She’s wasting her time. Rey needs to know if he’ll do the right thing.

“Are you...Are you going to help me or not? Are you going to stop the attack?” She gets nothing in return. Kylo simply turns away from her. Somehow, that hurts more than him breaking the saber.

Choking back a sob, she slowly moves away from him.

“I was wrong. I cannot help you.” She looks back towards the lift, and turns before saying, “I have to leave. My friends will die if I don't.” Rey looks back at him. Kylo is looking at her with the eyes of a conflicted man. There are slow tears escaping his eyes.

“Goodbye, Ben.” She says softly.

And with that, she left the throne room.

Rey turns fully and runs towards to lift, taking Kylo’s saber from her waist. She steps in and presses the buttons to take her down.

The doors slide closed in front of her. She sniffs and tries to push down her thoughts and powerful emotions. 

There are a million thoughts going through her mind, but there will be time to process what has happened later. Right now, she needs to escape.


	3. After it all

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Rey, what’s Ben like? What does he look like?”
> 
> “You don’t know?” She looked at Leia with genuine surprise.
> 
> “No,” She leaned back into the Falcon’s seats. “I haven’t seen him since he was a young boy. Masked and on holo screens from then on, only.” 
> 
> And so Leia remembered the last time she saw him.

The  _ Falcon  _ wasn’t made to contain this many beings. Nevertheless, the whole Resistance had managed to fit inside. People, creatures, and droids gathered within all the now cramped areas of the ship, obviously still riding the high of escaping the grip of The First Order. They would cheer, they would laugh, and they would hug their friends in either celebration or comfort from losing so many in such a short amount of time.

But Rey couldn’t bring herself to join in. She’d convinced herself that it wasn’t appropriate. How could she? Apart from getting away from the enemy and the death of Snoke she had nothing to celebrate; Rey didn’t receive the training she had hoped for, she’d left Luke on bad terms, still confused by the bond that had arisen between herself and Kylo, as well as having a false belief that he would stay by her side only to ultimately face heartbreak. But worst of all, Rey had the realisation that it would be up to her to end this war. Her quest to convince Luke to come back to help the Resistance and defeat the First Order had failed, and because of his stubbornness he refused to show Rey what to do- the young Force user had to learn these things by herself.  _ Taking the Jedi texts before the structure was destroyed was a good idea, then. Maybe I’ll find those more useful than a grumpy old man. _

So she sat there, feeling empty and defeated as she made a mental note to start reading those later- when she had a moment to herself. Her arms were wrapped around her waist using one hand to cover Kylo’s saber with her clothes. Rey wasn’t in the mood for answering questions or even talking about what had happened for that matter. Not to anyone, for the cut still stung. Not just the one on her arm, but the one deep in her heart. But Rey didn’t understand why it hurt so bad, or why she cared so much. He was  _ Kylo Ren,  _ for Kriff’s sake. His heart belonged to the Dark side, not to a dirty scavenger from Jakku. He said it himself: She came from nothing, she’s nothing. What followed were four words that Rey now began to believe were false:  _ ‘But not to me.’ _ . Just said to capture her and use her powers for evil.

But then again, at that moment Rey looked deep into his sorrowful eyes and saw that he was speaking the truth. She saw a man just as lonely as she was, just as hopeful that the person standing in front of them would be the one to fix that… so maybe it wasn’t a lie. But either way, he threw her heart on the ground and shattered it. Much like the saber- a legacy she swore to protect that was now broken. How was she to tell Leia? Tell her that another piece of her family; the last of what was her father, and some of what was her brother, was gone. 

Rey sighed and peered over to where Finn was standing. He was leaning over a woman in the Falcon’s relief bunk that she didn’t recognise. The woman was linked up to a diagnostic scanner that was scanning her vitals. She watched as her best friend covered the mystery woman with a blanket and wondered what the story was there, and if her best friend was willing to introduce them. Rey was intrigued: she was about to investigate, reach into this girl’s mind and see what she could find, but General Organa stood in front of her view. The general smiled down at Rey kindly, eyebrows raised as she gestured to space next to her- asking politely to join. Rey nodded and moved slightly to her right to give Leia more room.

"Leia, Luke Skywalker is gone… I felt it." Their eyes connected, and Rey saw grief. The general was always known to have a brave face, but Rey knew deep down that the last few days had taken her to her limits. That’s another reason why she wasn’t looking forward to telling Leia about all that had happened with her quest to the forgotten island.

“But it wasn’t sadness, nor pain. It was peace, as well as purpose.” Rey watched the mature lady with a soft gaze. Leia nodded and placed her hand on Rey’s lap- asking to be held. She took it gently.

“I felt it too.”

Both had felt Luke pass into the force. As all did at one point in their lives. A point where you become part of what surrounds everyone, and everything. Watching over for the rest of time.

_ No one is ever really gone, _ Luke had once said. 

Rey briefly let go of Leia’s hand to rub the area around the cut on her arm, and looked around at the tired and injured yet relieved Resistance fighters- wincing at the soreness of her own injuries.

“How did that happen? If you don’t mind me asking.” Rey snapped her head back to Leia.  _ Shit.  _ Now she had to explain. 

“This?” She pointed at the bruising on her face, obviously trying to avoid talking about the Throne Room. The general chuckled. 

“No, Rey. Your arm. If it’s a sensitive subject I understand.” She said with a comforting smile.

Rey turned her whole body around to face her. 

“So much has happened. There’s so much I need to tell you. About Ahch-to, about your brother, about…” Rey’s words drifted off at the thought of him.

“My son? Ben? What’s my naughty boy done now?” Rey giggled and that made Leia grin. That joy was short-lived- Rey’s face quickly fell and her eyebrows furrowed.

“I’m sorry… I- I just don’t know how to explain.” She thought of the bond; her connection to Kylo. Physical and emotional. It was something that even they didn’t understand, so how would she find the words to express it?

“That’s okay,” Leia sighed. Either in relief or disappointment. “Tell me when you’re ready. Perhaps when there aren’t so many people around to listen.” Rey nodded slowly.

The two sat in silence for a few moments before Leia couldn’t hold back her question any longer.

“Rey, what’s Ben like? What does he look like?”

“You don’t know?” She looked at Leia with genuine surprise.

“No,” She leaned back into the Falcon’s seats. “I haven’t seen him since he was a young boy. Masked and on holo screens from then on, only.” 

Leia remembered the last time she saw him: _ 10, about to turn 11. He wore his new robes, just for the Jedi academy. Ben looked up at his parents and had begged them to not let him go. But if he stayed with them, without training or help- Snoke would turn his heart and they would lose their precious child forever. Luke would be the one to stop that. _

Or so they had thought.

“I’m so sorry, I had no idea. That must be hard.” Rey took her hand once again. Leia waved her off with her free one.

“It makes me sad, But I’ve learnt to accept it. Now, go on. Tell me everything.”

Rey exhaled deeply in thought.  _ Where to start? _

“Well… he’s tall. Very tall. At least 6 foot 2. And muscly, too.”

“Tall? Must have gotten that from Han’s side!” She laughed.

“He’s also kind, and a good listener. If he lets you in. Which I guess is what he’s done for me. He struggles with anger issues and outbursts too, though.” Rey watched as Leia took that information. Her face looked slightly puzzled, and Rey knew that she was wondering how and when Rey had seen that side of him. But thankfully, she didn’t ask. Instead, she asked a more exciting question.

“What about his face? Is he handsome?” Rey choked on air as her face turned red.

“I can’t answer that!”

“Oh, so he’s not then?” Leia smirked. She may be old, but not stupid. She could sense that Rey cared for him.

“I’m not saying that… He’s just my enemy. He’s evil. It’s wrong to talk about him like that.” Rey chuckled, rubbing the back of her neck in embarrassment.

“I asked about Ben, not the monster Snoke made him believe he needed to be.” 

“Then...yes. He is quite attractive.” Her voice was small, but her smile was big. Leia mirrored Rey’s expression.

“But Leia, Kylo Ren is stronger than ever,” She said. “And without Luke, I now have no idea how to stop him and the First Order. If we didn’t know about their biggest ship, what else is out there waiting for us? There’s no more than a few hundred of us.” Leia took her hands and caressed them for reassurance.

“Trust me. We have everything we need. People will come and help us fight, of that I’m sure. And you, Rey. You are our strongest fighter. You’ll know what to do with Kylo. You’ll bring him home and we’ll end this war. For good.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello there!
> 
> Welcome to the third chapter of Bend The Rules. This is the last part of this fic set within the canon timeline, so after this, I'll finally be able to write the stuff that I have planned hehe hehe.
> 
> I skipped Rey escaping because I'm planning to do something with that later, and I left out Crait because I'm fairly happy with what Rian did with that and quite frankly I couldn't be fucked to re-write it and possibly change a lot of things. I'm a lazy writer lmao.
> 
> Anyways, if you've made it this far I'd just like to say thank you. This is my first proper fanfiction/serious writing that I've done. I'm proud of what I've done so far and I hope I can keep this up because so far I'm enjoying this so much!
> 
> Thank you again, and I'll see you again soon :)
> 
> -tgffvt


End file.
